Betta Fish Tanks
Compare Prices On Betta Fish Tanks
Choose the Right Betta Fish Tank and Create a Perfect Home for your Betta
When it comes to betta fish tanks,
you will have a huge variety to choose from. After all,
there are Betta vases, Marineland Eclipse tanks, the stylish Fluval Edge aquariums, wall mounted aquariums, coffee table aquariums, etc., etc. You will have to make some decisions based on your
budget, your individual preferences, available space and the needs of your Betta fish.
First of all, let me say that I hope you will do some research before deciding, as there is a lot of misinformation out there about Betta fish tanks and Betta fish vases which could contribute to your finned friend's early demise. Some aquarium styles claim to be perfect Betta fish tanks, but upon closer examination, you may find that they are not really suitable for Bettas.
Betta Vases
For example – Are Betta fish vases safe? Could they substitute for a betta fish tank? No, they could not! A vase severly limits Betta's movements which negatively influences their health. Bettas need exercise just as we do. Also, one of the most important things in choosing Betta fish tanks is whether constant, warm water temperature can be maintained. The smaller the water container, the more difficult it is to maintain even temperature. Regulating temperature of a Betta vase just isn't practical.
Another issue is oxygen. Bettas take part of their oxygen from fresh water, the rest from the atmosphere. A specialized respiratory gland makes it possible for them. But they need easy access to the surface. Betta vases tend to be small and cramped. If the Betta cannot easily reach the surface, it may suffocate and die. Betta fish tanks need to be designed with this in mind.
Also, a Betta is very susceptible to stress. If it takes too much effort to get to the water surface, it will struggle and possibly get sick and die. Betta fish tanks
should ideally have the depth of approximately 10 inches and many Betta
vases are just too tall.
Other Aquarium Designs
Some Betta fish tanks out there are self contained units with valves for water replacement. Other units attach themselves to other Betta tanks so that you can watch the fish interact. This may work well for other types of fish, but I would not recommend those kinds of set ups for Betta fish tanks.
Betta Fish Tanks – 5 and 6 gallon
The perfect unit for your Betta's home will be a Betta fish tank. Standard sizes are 5–gallon, 10–gallon, 20–gallon and even larger. If you have only one fish, a 5–gallon tank will be perfect. If you are planning to set up a community tank, go with a 10–gallon one.
If you are starting out, or looking for a tank for just one Betta, you may want to go with a 5 gallon Marineland Eclipse aquarium.
Only slightly larger are the 6 gallon Fluval Edge Aquariums with a beautiful design. Take a look at selected models here.Be aware, though, that the design of Fluval Edge aquariums may not be what you want in a Betta fish tank. I discuss it more in depth here.
Wall mounted Betta fish tanks
If you are looking for a larger, wall mounted aquarium, you may want to check out the Aqua Bella aquariums. They have a proprietary enzyme blend which keeps the water clean for 12 months! Just imagine – no water changes for a whole year! Here is their 49″ model which would have 14 gallons of water:
Again, just like with Fluval Edge, as beautiful as these tanks are, they may not have the perfect design for a Betta fish tank. Some Bettas may do well in spite of it, but ideal Betta fish tanks have a much larger surface area for Bettas to come up to and breathe. Also, the ideal Betta fish tank depth is about 10 inches.
Read more about wall mounted aquariums here.
Coffee table aquariums as Betta fish tanks
Some people have the mistaken notion that larger fish tanks are more difficult to clean. Just the opposite is true. More water means more stability in terms of water temperature and pH levels. That means fewer water changes than in smaller tanks. Your fish will also be much healthier and we all know what a challenge it is to deal with sick fish!
If you choose a coffee table aquarium for your Betta fish tank, you will also save space, because it is a dual–purpose piece of furniture. It really maximizes the pleasure you can derive from owning a Betta fish tank when you are able to see it up close and be near it while doing so many other things people do in their homes – relax, watch TV, sit around and talk with friends, etc.
Your Betta fish tank becomes much more a part of your life, rather than an object which is placed a little out of the way and which you have to actually approach in order to see it.
If you can get comfortable sitting on a couch next to your Betta fish tank, it's easy to spend much more time observing your Betta fish. And as you know, when you watch your fish often, you are much more apt to spot problems before they get out of hand – a win–win for you and the Betta fish in your care.
You really don't see many of these aquariums every day, they would be a very unique object in your home. Some companies have been making them for years, though. Midwest Tropical, for example, has been around for thirty years.
They offer a range of shapes designed to fit the interior of your living space. And so you have table aquariums in octagon, streched octagon, square and end table sizes.
Resting on a black acrylic pedestal, each table aquarium is lit up from below a bed of blue glass gravel. It is complete with lighting, extension cord, decorative plants, and two–stage submersible filter pump. It is constructed from acrylic with a solid 3/8″ tempered glass top which completes the system designed to provide years of enjoyment. It would make a stunning Betta fish tank!
One piece of advice with this type of fish tank – be patient for abount a month or so. The water might be cloudy at first, before the biological balance is established.
Just keep the filter clean and the water will clear up.
The aqua table aquarium below can be set up as a fresh water or salt water environment, so it could work as a Betta fish tank very well. Salt water environments will require additional equipment not included with the basic kit. This is a 25 gallon tank.
Another manufacturer of table aquariums is Aqua Vim. Their construction is slightly different in that they use glass for the entire unit, not acrylic. This is a 57 gallon coffee table aquarium and it is absolutely stunning:
Again, keep in mind that Betta fish tanks need to have one gallon of water per one inch of adult fish. That is the general rule of thumb. Many fish lovers like to buy a larger tank in anticipation of adding fish later. If you have to buy new tanks as you grow your fish collection, it can get pretty expensive, so if you think you will stay with this hobby for a long time to come, plan ahead.
